-best available copx



May'S, 1925- W. B. CLARKSON AUTOMATIC ARC WELDING Filed July 21. 1924 InVentQv- 1 William B. Clarkson,

His Attorney.

Patented May 5, 1925.

UNITED ,sTA'rEs FICE.

WILLIAM B. CLARKSON, 0F scHENEcTAnY, NEW: YORK; ASSIGNOR To GENERAL ELEC- Talc COMPANY, oonronA r o v 015 NEW YORK;

AUTOMATIC And, wEnDiNG.

Ap IicatiOn fiIed JuIy 21, lal serial flo. 727,145. I

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM B. CLARK- SON, a citizen of the; United States, residing at. Schenectady in the c-ounty of Schenectady, State of New Yorlg have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Are \Velding, of which the fol lowing is a specification, I f I I My invention relates; to electric arc welding and particularly to an improved. apparatus and system wherein there are a plurality of welding arcs. V I a I Automatic arc welding systems-are now well known in which-means are provided for automatically striking the welding are. In such systems it---is.common to,provide suitable travel means for, producing relative movement between the welding are and the article to be welded; which is commonly referred to as the Work.v Such relative movement is along theline of the seam fl30.b welded. The travel mechanism -may comprise an electric motor whichisautomatical- 1y started when the welding arohas been established and which.--,is automatically stopped whenever the are becomes extinguished The V welding; are is ordinarily maintained between the,. work v and a welding electrode which, in metallic arcweldingsystoms,- comprises a metal; rod or wire which is fused by the-welding current and deposited upon thework. Such a metallic electrode fuses with'considerable, rapidityand automatic ineans'are-now well known, for feeding the electrode ftowardutheawork to compensate for its consumptionand'maim tain thearc at substantially constantdength. Automatic arc weldingsystems are also now well known in which the electrode is com; posed of carbon or,other substantially nonfusible material. Insuch systems the .electhe material of the electrode is not intended to be deposited on the work. the work being merely fused by the heat of the arc.

In order to produce the desired relative movement; of the arc with respect .to the work, it is well known to arrange; the travel mechanism so asto move the work with respect to the electrode and it is also com mon to move the -so-called welding head which carried the electrode feeding mechanisin so as to 1110319 the electrode along the line of the joint while-the work remains stationary. 1 i I Attimes it is desirable to use a plurality of arcs and weld two oninore seams or weld the same seam at two'or more points'simultaneously. lVhen makingtivo or more suchwelds simultaneously fit' is advantageousto use but one travel motor and' arrangethis one motor to. produce the desired relative 'move ment between the ,work'fand the-welding arcs. This motor, as heretofore indicated; may be arranged to move either the work with respect'to zthe wm ng hgads or the welding heads with respect t'Ofthe wo'rk'f 'An object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement, wherein but" one such travel motor is used a plurality. of welding arcs and a furtherlobject is to provide a' system .whieh eandalso lie usedjor welding with but lone aicl-whenev'eri'de sired,- while m aijiitainin'g ifull automatic control of the travel niechanisinil ll/here but one-travel fora plurality of welding arcs iit isfa'ppareat that if one are becomes extinguished and the. travel mechanismf, isli ot wstopped there willbe an interruption"in-thejweld at the extinguished arc. Qn the Other hand,1if

thetravel mechan sm; is stopped whenever :but one a arc is extinguished the other are will eitherdeposit and: up metal at one ,spot or burn a hole through thework. In

either case theweldingfis defective and the operation undesirable. f :In accordance with my invention serious defeetsf n the welds from these'ca u'ses arefobviated. I I My invention I will be better I understood from the, following"description taken in connection with theraccomp anying draw- ..ing, and its scopewill be.pointed; out the appended claims. i i I (rode wears away much more slowlyxand The drawing diagrammatically represents a welding, system. embodying my'lnvention.

Referring to ,the drawing, the welding electrodes 1 and ll' are shown as metallic electrodes drawn -from reels 2 and'2.. The

avork to be welded is represented 3 "and arse i used 3'. In order to producerelative motion of the welding arcs along the seams to be welded, a single motor 4 is conventionally illustrated as geared to a 'support 5 upon which the work to" be] welded is placed. It will be understood that any suitable travel mechanism may be used and that such mechanism, as heretofore indicated, may either move the work witlr,;,r,espect to, the electrodes, as shown, or move the electrodes with respect to the work. It Will'also be understood thatit is immaterial, as fat-.215

my invention is concerned; whethen the seams to be welded are located one behind the other or side by side and thatitJ-is immaterial whether the seams to be welded are in the same article or in different articles.

\Vhile my invention in its broader aspects is n ot, limi te d to any particular means, for automatically striking and'maintaining the welding arcs, it is I necessary to describe one suitable'system toenable my invention to be understood,j The arrangement which I have illu tm-t dl Q uto ri a-tim11y r n nd maiet -iii nssfl fiwe d n r m i he am for c arc an it ill, t i rei e s en ssary to, describe fin cl'etail the arrangement for men- 9 O ly-L The meche'pi sin for feedingihe electrode 1 ss wn a pompnisinsrfeed r0115. 6 driven y suitable: gearing, which it is not necessary to illustral te frorn the motor-T; The cor.- e n ding element he he r -er ndi se sam umber R d- W ing u rent isrr miesen d s uppl ame. W 3 vqlt ss ains. 8 Thefl rk ssh n.a$-Qiine .t 2 h p s tive main 8 the jneg gptive main 9,.is connected; to, .theelect'rode I, through the usual stabilizing; resistor 1Q. The w eldiug circuit h dst rwg e circui c ntr i means h'W -es s i teq en' #1 nd'the re h gh the e aser i in "wi l of sentct 't h ielfie 'sisle j he e s d: eedlmot 7 Qp mms sheaths sweeter #1 is closed, toifeed t elele tre eliint o n a e en w he work. ft ei' xi tmi hen e e r withdraws theaelectrode, from the work to establishthe-welding; arc. After suclr ,arc has.been. stabl he h moto ga verses andQfee ds ,the electrode toward the work to maintain thearc length substantial- .ly c,onst an t. This operation o'f; the electrode feed,inotor is brought about, by the series em ee end; bl t' tn Tdie circuits which bring about this operation will be briefly tracedbef ore describing he. Q99, i tatien. t .1% P se invention herewith As umin -as.co le t is ossdia c rs til f omp qts rhe a m t of, the electrode feedmqtor, T'ttrom the main 8. throngh' the resistor 11, the lower contacts of o tactfor up hrpush he mo o rm t ndl th suse ntae er #1 nd resistor, lQto the mainlt). "The field 7; of the electrode feed motor is excited during this operationQfrom any suite hie source, As soon as the electrode 1 touches the work current flows through the operating coilpf conmotor #2 and lifts this contactor to its upper position. Contact 2" of contactor completes the circuit of the operating coil oflcontapton #3 connecting thiscoil between the work'and the electrode so that when the arc is drawn this contactor is energized lrr thence-voltage. When; tlioelectrode lengagesjthe wonk-i 3,;the.electrode is said to be short circuitcd upon the work and the witage-drop at the point of contact is very low and insuflicient to operate contactor #3. The current which flows in the wchline cir cuit is limited by the resistor 10 and practically the. full linevoltage appears across this resistor. Current at this time flows through. the electrode feed motor 7' in the opposite direction. to that heretofore traced: namely, down through the motor armature thrpugl'r they contact 2? of contactor #2, which is now in .its upper position and through the contact (l g-of *contactor #3 which still in its lower position, through the resistor; 12 to the main- 9.

The electrode feed motor is thus reversed to strike the are. In order to secure a steady operation of-'-the electrode feed motor during tliejfeeding of} the electrode into contact W'lbhfillQ work-a resistor 13' is maintainediin shunt to the armature of the feed motor bymeansof contactin on contactor #3. As therelectrode -1 is withdrawn from the work to estahlishjthearc, the voltage across the areinereases in proportion to the length of-the are. then a predetermined arc voltage has. beenreached, contactor #3 piclis-uptoreverse again the current through the electrode feed mo tor and-connect the motor directly across the arc.- The circuit leads from the main-8-, w-hiclr is connected tothe work,- through the contact 3 otcon tact-orwhich is' now in itsuppe-r position, contact fl j-of jcontactor which is also now in its upper position, and up through the feed motk'ararmature. Contact 3 of-"c'ontactor #3is now open sothat rcsistor--l-3-i s no longer-in shunt to'the motor armature.- The motonwill now operate to maintain the, are at substantially contant lengthsinceany-increase in arc length is accompanicd byanincrease in voltage which causesthe elec'trodefeed motor to run faster and any-decrease in are lengtlris accompanied; by adecease' in voltage which causes tl'ieelectrode feed lnotor-to run more slowly, as, is swell known in the art.

l fgwhile welding, thearc becomes extinguished "by the electrode 1= touching the work 3; contactor-fiz'3 willflbe dcenergized anddrop out thus completing; the circuit heretoforc rtraced' for reversing the current throughthe electrode feed motor armature to withdraw the electrode from the work and. restrike the arc. If. during welding, the aroat'pany time becomes extinlI v a grushed-bvopen circuitmg, the welding currentceases'to 'flow and 'contactor #2 is deenergized and drops out. The dropping out of this contactor opens contact 2 thus deenergizing contactor #3 also. Both contactors #2 and #3 therefore drop to their lower positions and the electrode feed motor operates in a directionto feed the electrode into contact with. the work to reestablish the are just as it"was established at the beginning of the welding operation.

. As heretofore indicated, the operation of the series contactor #2 and the shuntcontactor #3" for the other are shown is exactly the same as for the first arc. While I have shown but two welding arcs, it is to be iii) in'it' s upper positionff In the embodiment of my inventionillustrated "these contactors #3 and #3 are used-for controlling the operation of the travel motor4. The operating circuit of the travel motor is arranged so thatit is completed only when both contactors #3 "and #3 are energized; The circuit of the travel motor is open when both contactors'aredeenergized and' is also open whenibne of the contactors is deenergized althoughfthe other "remains energized. To accomplish thisresult I providea contact ,3F"ori"contac-tor"#3 anda contact*3 on the 'coiitactoi'f#3L *While these 'contacts' 3 and 3. might arranged? to control the cir- -cuit-"of the {travel moto'r directly or indirectly b y insane of "electrically operated .js witclies" such "as "reversing contactors one of whichispreviously selected for" the. de-

direction' of operation by means of 'a ,switc'ly l preferto control such circuit by means of relays #6 and #6-respectively controlled by the contacts 3 and 3"; When contactor #3 picks up, cont-act'3 completes 'aQcircuit from the main 8 through the operating coilof relay #6 to the main 9. Contact 3 similarly controls the circuitlojre- 'la y #6. The circuit of the armature of the "travel motor 4'is controlled by contacts 6 and 6 on relays #6 and #6 'respectivelv.

It is'apparent that the circuit of the travel motor is completed only when contacts 6 and 6"" are both closed, that is, only during the time that both welding arcs are in operation. If either are fails the corresponding #3 coiitactor drops out, thus deener'gizing the corresponding #6 relay,'opening the circuit of the travel motor'armature. The trayel motor thus remains inoperative until both welding arcs have been established and stops when either are becomes extinguished from any cause. Suitable means may be provided for bringing the travel motor instantly to a stop as soon' as its circuit is opened so that the inertia of the travel motor will not move the work after an arc becomes extinguished. Such means for braking the travel motor are now well known in the art and form no part of my invention. Thefield winding for the travel motor is indicated at 4 and this winding may be continuously energized from any suitable source.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided means responsive to the electrical condition of each are for controlling the operation of the travel mechanism, arrangedto set the travel mechanism into operation when all or" the arcs have been established and to stop the 'travel mechanism when any are becomes e. tinguished. From the foregoing description it will also be apparent that 'w h en any are becomes extinguished from any cause the electrode feed motor 7 or 7eimmediately endeavorsto restrike the are; If the areis restruck promptly, the t'rav'el; motor is again set into operation. I provide 'means'for interrupting the flow of welding current to all of the arc s'if the extinguished arc-'is'for some reason not restruclcpr'omptly so that the continued 1 'operatiori f'of thebtherfl arcs w ill not continue to'pile "up metal on the work or burn 'thef'work. In the embodimentof' the invention illust rat'edthis interruption of the welding current-isacconn plished by a re'l ay fifit'fwhich is "retarded in its operation so-tliat the welding circuits will not be'intrrupte'd until the expiration of an interval suflici 'e ntto'per niti the r'estriking of the extinguished arofwhenihe restriking mech'anisiii "operates normally. 1 In the drawing, relay" #7 'is p'ro -ided \vitlia contact]? which "is i'n'series' w'ith'the operating coils of the maincoritactors #1 and #1. The retarded operationfofirelay is diagrammatically indicated in the dra\ ving by the dashpot' 14, although itwill be understood that any meansknown to the art may be provided for' securing the'de'layed operation of therelay. The circuit of the operating coil of the relay #T is controlled in response tothe electrical condition of each are by means ofcontactors"#3 and #3, which; in the embodiment illustrated provide this control throughtherelays #6 and #6'.. Relay #6 is provided with a contact- 6 and relay #6 is provided with acontact 6. These contacts 6" and 6" are interconnected with the operating coil of relay #7 so that the circuit of this operating coil is opened when relays #G and #6 are both down and is also opened when relays #6 and #6 are both'up. When, however, either relay #6 or #6 is up while the other is down the circuit of the-opcrating'coil of to its open position.

5#,1,1 therefore, 4 closes.

provided with a contact 5 whichzcompletes the circuit of the field winding 7 of the,

= Gontactor.

relay-- :ti-T is completed. For example, if theare between. the electrode 1 and the work-3 becomes extinguished, the dropping out of contactor #8 (lo-energizes relay #6, which, in. addition to opening the circuit of the travel motor at the contact (3?, as above described, also completesacircuit through the contacts 6" in its lowen position. Itit be assumed that the other arcremains est-abllShE(l-,, C0lli3:-\Ct0l 3 remains up and relay #6 reinainsup so that contact 6" is in its upper position The circuit through the operating coil of relay #7 is thus completed from main 8, through contacts 6 and 6" to the main It will also be apparent. that if relay #6 were in its lower position, while relay #6 were in its upper positionas would be the case if the are between the electrode 1' and the work 3 were extinguished while that between the electrode 1 and. work 3 remained established, the circuit through the operating coil of relay #7 would. also he completed. This retarded relay therefore, energized to open the contacts 7 whenever any are is extinguished fronnan}; cause while-anotherarc remains established, but, as heretofore stated. contact 7. does not cause thee-opening of vthe various welding circuits until sufficient time has elapsedxto permit the normal operation of the are restriking mechanism: for the extinguished arc.

The foregoing descriptionbegan with: the assumption that contactois #1 and #1 were closedat. the beginning,- ofithe. welding operation, but to simplify the description, the eircuitsfor closing these contactors were not described. Sue-h circuits 'will now be described and, since the circuits are the same for each weldingjarc, the description inay be confined; to the controhfor contaetor #1. The circuit of the-operatingcoil of contactor -#1 is controlled by acontactor- #5.controlled by pushibuttons on other switches 15.an,d l6 Push button 15.iS.' a normally. closed push button, while 16- is .a normally open pushbutton. To begin welding the operator closes push button 16 thus-completina a circuit across the mains 8 and 9; through the pushlbuttons l5 and 16.and the operating coil of-contactor #5. The picking up-of c-ontactor closes a contact: 5* which short circuits the &push button 16 sothat. contaetor #5 remains energized eventhough the push button 16 be released: and allowed: to more Contact. :3 of contactor. #5 closes a circuit for the operating coil of contactor, #1, from the main 8,

through the coil, through contact 5" and contact 77 of relay fi'i to the main-5). Contact-or Cont-actor 18 also electrode feed motor 7 through. the, re sistor 17.

Frointhe foregoing description of the control circuits: it will. be apparent that to start.welding the operator close svthe corresponding push buttons 16 for each welding arc-and these push, buttons may be arrang cd in any ,desired location for convenient access.

The apparatus, then automatically strikes each welding are, zis, heretofore described, andas soon as all ofnthearcs have been estal)lishe(l.the.travel motor is set into operation, as heretofore described, for producingu'elati re movement between. the arcs and the work, to be.,\\'elded. If one are becomes oxtinguishedandfails to restrike within the desired predetermined interval, relay #7 opens contact 7 thus opening contactors #1 and #1 and thus interrupting the flow of welding current to all: of thearcs. Contactors #3 and, ho\\ever, remain energized', thus keepingthe contacts 5* and 5" closed. As-soon as the. weldingcurrent is interrupted for,.,both,,of the. arcs. both con.- tactors #3 and,#3 f.,are, deenergized thus deencrgizing botlrrelays #,6 and;f# 6' so that these relays areboth in, their. loweliiposition thereby opcninfr the circuit of thelope-rating coil ot relay. #7. Relay; ifift vtherefore, again closes the ,contactsfi? therebyh again energizing theopemtting, coils of eontactors #1 and #1 so thatthe automaticarc.striking, mechanism again- ,endeav,ors to strike each arc. I.f,.the.,arcs zillPirestrfiike :i.t,,this time, the, titayrel moton istset 1i IIlKfitJPQ; nation and, welding gpigoceedsg ,,I, however p ne. of the arcs. still. fails. torestrike within-vthelpredetermined.,desiredihtenyahgelay #Iagain causes. thei nterruption of, theiyarious .welding circuits. 1 #fi gmay ,be constructed as a notel1i ng.relay ifgdesired so. that it xyill we ken -make th aee eli et rm e r etitl e rat sii d sh! tev l m i clrcult ne he Wi 2 t s e ensesl av -thw elclins-si i openafter one,,t,wo oni m ore,o peratipnsl If 117 ,15 arranged $0; lopln, opematter ;but. one

operation, it apparent thatwelding will be s e es n) be mes-e tin i h d d's s-tere tmt .avithi r bed im me intervah, andtheapparatus,will rernain, out

of operation untihtheopcrator remediesthe closed} position:

- It ll l?tr h .3l sem s e s #fim h beo nitted anduthencircuit; of theoperating coils of contactors,#l:controlled directly by a, push butiton,.or.,otheu .co'ntrol. .prefe-r touse contactor #wiforthe reason that if at. any :time; during welding the welt-age should; fail on.tl1e .mains.8 ,and,9, .contactor #5 would drop out; thereby-opening the trouble and resets zelay #17 to its normally ,wcldin circuitsl in suclra, way that they would; not, be automatically reclosed upon the reappearance of voltageaiponrtlie mains.

.5 give; what mm y called 'noyo tage protection After a ,faiL

- u no :of the line vv ol tag e, wel ding can. be initactors #3 and #3, responsive tiated only by again operating the starting push buttons.

In the control system shown, a relay #4 is illustrated, the operating coil of which is connected across the armature of the feed motor. This relay is provided with a contact 4 which when closed shunts the contact 5 of contactor #5. Relay #4, therefore, maintains the circuit of the field winding 7, of the electrode feed motor completed as long as relay #4 is energized, notwithstanding the fact that contact 5 may have opened. Relay #4 being in shunt to the armature of the electrode feed motor remains energized as long as the armature is turning and becomes deenergized when the motor stops. The function of this relay is to prevent coasting of the electrode feed motor whenever the welding circuit is opened. As heretofore described, the resistor 13 is connected in shunt to the armature of the feed motor whenever contactor #3 is deenergizecl and, since relay #4 maintains the field on the feed motor as long as the motor is turning, there is a strong dynamic braking action which brings the motor to a quick stop and prevents the inertia of the parts from coasting and jamming the electrode against the work. This arrangement of relay #4 is disclosed and claimed in my copending appli-- cation, Serial No. 682,341 filed December 22,1923, for automatic arc welding control systems and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. 7

It is apparent from the foregoing descrip tion that the circuit of the travel motor 4 is controlled by the conjoint action of conwhich are respectively to the condition of each arc and that relay joint. action, In accordance with my invention I have arranged the apparatus so that if desired the conjoint action of the contactors may be removed and any one are used alone for welding while still maintaining full automatic control of the travel motor to start the motor into operation when the welding arc is established and stop the motor whenever the arc fails either by open circuiting or short circuiting. This may be accomplished in various ways without departing from my invention. In the embodiment illustrated I have provided a switch 18 which when closed will cause the energization of either #3 or #3 cont-actor to pick up both relays #6 and #6 instead of only one as heretofore described. For example, if switch 18 is closed and the op erator closes push button 16 for but one of the welding arcs, such are will be automatically struck as heretofore described and upon the establishment of a predetermined are voltage #3 contactor will close its contact 3 thereby completing the circuit of the operating coil of relay #6 as heretofore de- #7- is also controlled by such conscribed and at the same time completing a circuit through the switch 18 to the operating coil of relay #6. Both relays #6 and #6 will, herefore pick up and contacts 6 and 6* will both close thus setting the travel motor into operation. If the welding arc becomes extinguished from any cause contactor #3 will drop out and contact 3" thereof will deenergize both relays #6 and #6 and the relays will both drop to their lower positions. In this case one of the relays #6 can never be energized while the other is deenergized and the operating coil of relay #7 will, therefore, always remain open and there will be no operation of relay #7 to open the welding circuit. It is thus seen that I have arranged the apparatus and control circuits so that,-while the desired conjoint operation may be secured, independent welding by either welding circuit can also be secured without reorganizing the apparatus or changing the permanent connections in any way.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described particular means for automatically feeding the electrodes to maintainthe welding arcs and particular means for automatically striking the various arcs, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited-to such means since any desired are striking means may be used-and any desired means for maintaining the welding arcs; It is merely essential that means be provided responsive to the electrical c'onditionbf each are which will operate in the-desired man ner. It will also be apparent to those skilled in theart'that many changes and modificationsmay be made in'sthe arrangement of circuits-and devices 'for. controlling the travel mechanism and for establishing and interrupting the flow' of welding current without departing from my invention and I therefore aim in theappended claims to cover all such variations and modifications as fall within the truespirit'of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An arc welding apparatus of: the type wherein there are-a plurality of arcs and electrode feeding mechanism for maintaining each arc and wherein a single travel mechanism is provided for producing relative motion between said arcs and the-work to be welded, characterized by the fact that means responsive to the condition of each are is provided for controlling the operation of said travel mechanism arranged to cause operation of the travel mechanism during such time only as all of said arcs are in operation.

2. An arc. welding system of the type comprising a plurality of arcs, electrode-feeding mechanism for maintaining each are, a motor device for sin'iultaneously producing relative: motion between eachof said arcsand the world to-bewelded, andmeansrespectively responsive to' the voltage across each are conjointlycontrolling'thc operation of said motor device.

3. In an arc welding apparatus of the type'wherein there are a plurality of arcs and wherein means are provided for automatically striking and maintaining each arc and wherein travel means are provided for producing simultaneous relative movement between each arc and the wm'kto be welded,- the combination of means respectively responsive to the electrical condition ofreaclrarc arranged to set said:travel means intooperationxwhen-allof said arcs have beenestablished and to stopsaid travel means when any are fails.

4: An arc welding systenrcomprising a pluralityofarcs, means' for; automatically striking: each-arc,-travel means for producing relative movement between-each arc and the-work to be Welded, means responsive, to

the electrical-condition of each arc-Zion con-z trollinguthe 0pe1atlOn 0f-1Sald: travel means;

andxmeans responsive to=the-clectrical condition'oteaoh arc-arranged to interrupt the floiw ofi-welding' current through all ofthe ares'fi'n fthe event that-any arc, becomes vex? tin uishednand fails" tobe reestablished.-

wit it: a=. predetermined-- time: interval.

l'ays travel: means respectively retarded T relay= controlled by saidrelays a rranged to control sa'id'nvelding circuits. 1

km are-welding system comprising a plurality: of a'rcs-, =-a: welding; circuit for carnying the- :wel'ding'l current: of catch arc,

circuit controlling? means for each welding circuit, a'-retarded relay forcontrollingall of said circuit controlling means, and-means responsiveto the electrical condition-of each are 'arranged to cause operation of sa-i d- .re-v tard'ed relay when one are is e'xtinguished while" the" other are orarcsremain c'stab lished whereby the failure of-one arc causes all: of: said welding: circuits to be opened after an interval determined by thersettiug of said retarded-relay.-

y 7; Anarc welding; apparatuscomprising a plurality of arcs each ta ined between the work of which mains to be welded and a metallic electrode, contactors for control- 65 lingthe. flow of welding current through each arc, means :for-v automatically striking each are, a. travel motor for producing relative motion between eachrarc and the work to be welded, means responsive tothe elec- 7 trical conditionof each are arranged to complete an opcratingcircuit to the travel motor when all of the arcs are established and to interrupt the circuit of the travel motor whenever any are is extinguished 7 while another: are remains establishcd and whenever all of the arcs are extinguished, a relay foucontrolling said contactors, andmeans'for. completing: the circuit of said-relaywlienever one. are becomes extinguished whileanotherare remains established, to opensaid, contactors; after an, intenvalgreater thanthat normally required for said are striking means toy operate' said. relay being cconnectedfsor astobedeenergized when-' said contactors. openand: arranged whemdee energized to permit saidcontractors, to. reclose.. 0

8., Anarc welding. system comprising, a plurality are; a singlet'i-avelimotorp \adaptedyto rp re d'uce relative-, motion between eaeh are and the workto beavelded; means 3 respectively, responsive to a re arranged by conjoint action to complete the circuit of saith tralveh motor.- wliem both arcs are est'a-bl-ished-iand to interrupt the ci-rcuitofi said-travel! motog-when bothares are -.extinguished and; also, when. any are: is;

extinguished while another; are; remams ta-blishet'hand sw-itchingumeans adapted tobeoper-atedto perm-it one-of saidiarc eondition-respon'sive means t0- -cpmp1 ete:' the eir cnit of -saidtravelmotor -independently;.of

otherare-00ndition-respenstve means whereby one arc-alone may- .be.-operatedand: the corresponding -electro respons ive= means may, control the operation oft the travel motor to start the same when-the aro-is-establishedand-stop theusamer when the -.arcj isextinguished-fl 1 I Vi 9; Arrarc weldingsystem ascIaimed inclaim :8- comprising means- -for interrupting;

said :weldingaci-rcuits ,avheneverone are is extinguished-- for. apredetermined; interval while another; are: remainsestablished said switch ng means being-arranged .to render said means forminterruptin'g-said welding,

circuits inoperativewhile weldingwithbut one are. l o

In witness whereoi, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day- 0f-July,--1924'.-

W'ILLIAM B CLARKS ON.

otarcs. adapted-to-- be operatedsimultaneously ai welding-circuit for eacl1- the electricalcondition of' each 425 

